


Time for Mama Cuddles!

by Violet_Dawn_001



Category: Hollow Knight (Video Games)
Genre: Baby Hornet is mentioned, Detective Lurien, Implied child abandonment/neglect, Let the White Lady be a Mom for crying outloud!!!, Other, The Knight deserves all the Lovies, The Knight is a boy in this fic, The Knight totally deserves an Angel., Time Travel, Time Travel Fix-It
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-06
Updated: 2020-06-19
Packaged: 2021-03-02 17:55:00
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 7,887
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24030895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Violet_Dawn_001/pseuds/Violet_Dawn_001
Summary: Prompt: If you had just five minutes to spend in the past, what would you do?The Little Knight has a whole bucket list of wishes to change the past. There is beating the Pale King, stopping the Infection, saving Big Sibling, meeting the Dreamers, training with the Five Great Knights...How is one little vessel going to choose just one?
Relationships: The Knight & White Lady (Hollow Knight), The Knight & the Reader, The Pale King/White Lady (Hollow Knight)
Comments: 24
Kudos: 94





	1. Searching the White Palace

**Author's Note:**

> First chapter has been updated due to feedback and editing.  
> Thanks so much for your help y'all!

The hum of buzz-saws fills the background of your surroundings. It is a hum which puts you on edge, for the very next leap could be your last before starting all over again. It is always there, either distant or near, attempting to drown out the music. It is such an irritating sound, for your dear ward is nowhere near the sharp, deadly blades. 

Instead, your ward races unharmed down the halls. His small size and laughter hints at his true, childish state, though his battle stance and experience reveal a self-trained Knight. His conflicting status of both baby and grown-up confuddle you to no end. His empty eyes hide his personality, just as wonders hide you from sight. But nothing can hide you from each other, nothing can stop your care for your little friend. He runs and you soar, traveling the White Palace all the way through.

Down through the countless white halls, hidden secrets and nothingness is found. The White Palace demands history, demands importance. Yet the white hallways, white floors, white ceilings reveal nothing. Only fixed moments of bowing, metal guards, and those infuriating buzz-saws are shown. 

The beauty of this palace lies only within its order and life. 

Order: the deep planning of each room; perfect triangles and lines; the design behind every column and marvelous metalcraft. 

Life: the outreaching roots linking the whole; bushes hanging down from the ceilings and framing the rooms; luminous petals which turn from flowers into birds. Even the shining thorns are beautiful, protecting and warning off one from danger.

These two contadictary matters, metal and plant, simply reveal two persons once lived here, with tons of servants to assist them. Male and female, yin and yang, nature and nurture, working together to create perfect beauty. The whole White Palace reflects their union.

Yet this is all a dream. A lost memory which is locked away inside a broken shell. 

The White Palace is hollow, devoid of meaning and genuine life. You both still search it anyways, attempting to discover something, anything. Anything of your Little Knight’s past. Anything to explain the orange madness. Anything, to make it all right. 

Which is why you know this strange beetle battling our dear Knight does not belong here.

The dark, armored beetle crouches down as it swings its long claws at the Little Knight. Neither of you have seen this beast within Hallownest. The only fact for certain is its creator is not the Pale King. Its armor is too dark and design too strange for this land. 

Its outer shell reminds you of beetles you seen from your high prospective. Yet closer to the ground, you think you see a bird’s face and limbs upon it. The claws on its three fingers are long and sharp. When it misses your Knight, the beast claws and destroys the surroundings! The floor, walls, cloaked items, and the remaining plant life; nothing is safe from this beast. 

The relentless beast follows the Little Knight from one floor to the other. Lucky for it, the platforms are right next to each other. The heavy beast vibrates the ground with every thump. If it should miss its landing just once, its own weight would crush the beast for good. But it should not even be able to follow your Knight…

_**“I am going to defeat this foe all by myself!”**_ declares your Little Knight. His childish voice echoes loudly in your mind, yet never in bugs’ ears. This fact has more than once driven you both crazy. 

_“Oh no you ain’t.”_ You answer your dear ward. _“Not on an unknown enemy we never met before.”_ You soar undetected above the battlefield, watching for possible patterns. While you are only human, you take your Guardian Angel role very seriously. You refuse to let your dear ward die for a twentieth time in the White Palace, even if it is just a dream.

Your Knight and the armored beast clash with nail and claw, sending sparks flying. The Knight’s white mask tips barely comes up to its chest, but the creature’s claws can still grab his black body. Fortunately, your Knight has enough experience to know not to get caught. Still, you warn him anyway, _“Don’t let the beast catch you! I don’t know if you can use the Shade Cloak to escape!”_

The Knight’s tiny figure darts around and through the beast, catching it off guard. _**“Great Slash!”**_ the Knight calls as he topples the armored beetle. As the beast flounders upon its back, the Knight double jumps to Desolate Dive on its belly. After dealing heavy damage to the beast, the young veteran yells out _**“Cyclone Slash!”**_ as he performs his favorite move to regain Soul. This tactic has worked well several times over.

Unfortunately, the beast never stays down long enough to die. It at last rolls up, preventing another Desolate Dive. _“Pogo! Pogo!”_ You call to the already air-borne Knight. Well-trained, your ward proficiently changes attacks. He pogo-jumps on the beast’s back to safety, metal sounding on metal. The Pure Nail’s strikes echo through the white halls of the palace. 

Healing is sometimes difficult, as the Knight is wearing the Deep Focus charm. But the difficulty is only in your mind, for the Grubsong and Hiveblood charms are working well for you both. Mark of Pride and Sharp Shadow get several hits in for your Knight. You really, really wish that The Knight was able to change charms before arriving upon this beast, but no use complaining right now. 

What is worth complaining about is the dusty floor. Ever since the beast landed on the platform, the whole floor has been raising up dirt. The heavy pounds of the beast’s feet keep rising up dust, causing you to miss spotting attacks more than one occasion. Your Knight is too focused on the battle to notice the trivial matter of dust. So you shrug it off too, until you realize it looks just like the shaky ground to use Desolate Dive on…

_“Little Knight! We need to get out of here!”_ your voice rings out like a warning bell. _“Jump! Climb! Anything! Just get out of this room!”_ Your spirit races in desperation. 

_**“But we’re about to beat it! See! It is changing patterns!”**_ calls back your Little Knight. Sure enough, the beast was performing a new attack. A heavy pound attack… 

_“Get ready to Double Jump and Dash!”_ you decide, focusing on what comes next. _**“Got it!”**_ affirms the Knight, his tiny hands gripping the Pure Nail. No one, especially the beast, was quite ready for the shock wave which opened up the floor underneath. 

Both the Knight and beast fall down, down, down. You are uncertain where you all are falling to, but one matter at a time. How often have you and your ward gotten into situations like this? Where the curious Knight pounds the floor only for you to soar behind him? The only thing to do is prepare for the landing. _“Desolate Dive!”_ Your command and the Knight’s move. The brief invincibility will not protect you forever though... 

Dark grey dust turns into bright white light. The Knight dives deeper into the dream, taking you willingly along with him. Hopefully, into the awaking.


	2. Decisions, Decisions...

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> We escaped the strange beetle, but it seems the White Palace is not the same.
> 
> Have we leaped out of the frying pan into the fire?  
> Or have we just received one, grand gift?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to everyone who has given hits, kudos, and comments!  
> You do not realize how much you make me smile when I see that you have given time to this fanfic.
> 
> May you all have a blessed day or night wherever you are!

After seemly eons of descent, the Knight finally stops falling. 

The dive definitively ends with the slamming of a large table. Little Knight’s sheer power manages to break the table into several pieces, causing papers and woodshards to go flying. The whole table board broke, leaving the Knight to stand upon its single, stump-like leg. 

You begin to observe your surroundings, eager to protect your Little Knight from possible danger. You both are still in the White Palace, for no other location in Hallownest shares its design in its windows, floor, and columns. Clearly, you are in one of the meeting rooms. But something feels different about the white room…

CRASH!!! The dark, armored beetle clatters into the floor, interrupting your thoughts. The heavy body sends more dust and papers scattering. You suppose the Desolate Dive added more uphm to your fall, hence why the Knight landed first. The strange beetle’s head slumps crookedly, clearly dead. 

Abruptly, the revelation hits you. The beetle is right in front of you, not to the side or in the distance. You are inside the room looking at your surroundings, rather than looking in.

Before, you were seperated from the world, yet connected to it. You observed all of Hallownest like one studying an ant colony in an ant farm. Though you were blocked from interaction with Hallownest like hands to a glass wall, you could talk and work with the Knight. Over time, your connection has allowed to see his full personality: determined, eager, curious, and playful. You can see Little Knight for what he is, while others only see strange emptiness.

However, you are no longer watching from the outside, but experiencing it from within. Before, you would simply hovor above the Little Knight. Now you stand next to him, seeing events as he sees, albit from a slightly higher perspective. 

Your mind starts igniting like a city turning on its streetlights. All the questions within set your heart racing. _“What is going on?” “Why is this happening?” “Is this really happening?” “Why have the rules changed?” “What other rules changed?” “What is the meaning of this?!” “Wait, how did this even happen?”_

Grunts interrupt your wonderings, which is probably for the best. It allows you to witness a once in a lifetime event, the humiliation of the Pale King. For the strange beetle, of all places, landed upon the Worm, trapping his whole lower body. 

“Will someone get Us out from this hunk of metal?!” The Pale Worm calls out, attempting to retain some of his royal dignity. Which was next to impossible in his graveling state as he tries to claw his way out from underneath the beetle. He huffs and pants, the weight of the armored creature crushing his breath. The Worm meows and grunts as a helpless grub.

 _ **“Can you screen shoot this? Please???”**_ Your Little Knight asks, remembering his manners so politely. You still cannot believe you had to be the one to teach him manners instead of his parents. 

_“I will see if the screenshot button still works.”_ You reach out to your dashboard. No one can resist the Knight’s cuteness. No one. ~~Okay, okay, the people who see only void can.~~

Thank goodness the button works. For a few seconds later, the Worm is carefully freed from his humiliation. “Finally!” The ungrateful worm cries as he brushes off the dust. You both go unnoticed as the monarch turns to his kind helper. “Good to see you are completely unharmed my Pure Vessel.”

Little Knight stiffens and your breath catches in your throat. You are not supposed to be seeing this. That Pale Worm is alive and present, while last you knew he was supposely dead. To say the least of the Pure Vessel! Your heart swells in both joy and shock as you see the Hollow Knight in complete health and peak strength. No crack upon their mask, no infection leaking out of them, no dirt staining their cloak. 

**_“Are we still dreaming? Because this does not look like a dream.”_** Little Knight asks you. Though you cannot answer him. Your head is spinning again with questions. Mostly filled with bad words you are not letting the Knight ever hear.

You are so trapped in questions you fail to notice the rustles behind you. Conversations fly by undetected. “Stop squirming you bootlicker!” “Did I crush you Isma?” “My Root! My Root! Where are you? Please tell if you are alright!”

**_“Look, Look!!!”_** Little Knight snaps you out of your wanderings. **_“There’s no dreamcatchers!”_** He is right. Rather than swirling dreamcatchers floating in the surrounds, ticking clocks hover close instead. Light whirls around the tree-stump of the table, encloaking you both. 

"Now that you finally stopped having your panic attack and realized you are back in time, I can reveal you two.” A voice comes above you both. The male person behind the voice is enigmatic, sounding like a young child, a grown warrior, and an aged man all at once. You do not understand why this figure reminds you of both Grimm and the Pale King. Their voices have nothing in common with his. 

_“I knew we should have braved Deepnest instead today…”_ You groan.

“Welcome to the White Palace of Old! You have five minutes to spend here before I send you back to the Palace locked in Dreamland. Choose wisely before you step out of the light, for that is when the timer starts ticking.” The Higher Being declares to the whole room. 

Which promptly ticks off the Worm. "What is a being like you doing in OUR Palace!? You have no authority to be here." The Pale King rattles off at the strange being who brought you here. You begrudgingly admit you are wondering the same question as the Worm.

“I have authority to give out gifts as I see fit, O Pale One. Especially for my gifts of Time. I believe you already have experience in giving your own gifts of Mind.”

“Gifts of Time for who stranger?” called a snappy, female voice, though you are not sure who. 

“While for this little bug acrouse!” exclaimed the Time Giver. All eyes in the room turned quicker than lighting towards Little Knight. No one sees you, which relieves you to no end. “The Little One has many wishes! I can give the Little One time for granting one. Begin discerning Little One! Begin!”

Little Knight focuses solely on the person before him, ignoring all others in the room. A one-track mind is the best for fulfilling a quest. Sadly, it is also the mindset of a child, before distractions take over. 

The person standing before the Knight is the Pale Worm. The Worm shines with an obnxious light, annoying only for its harshness. The light is white, not for purity, but for its brightness. His sharp-pointed crown is almost as long as the Worm is tall. His eyes are busy with concerned with graver matters, not with a five-minute interruption.

He really should be concerned with the fact Little Knight is one of his lost children. Oh, wait. The Worm has only one child, a tiny spiderling who will someday be named Hornet. Just because the vessels look, act, think, and feel like children, they are actually not children in his eyes. What a blind fool. 

Little Knight draws his nail, his anger sweathing with your own. The Radiance took mind and emotions away from her victiums, attempting to have love without relationships. The Pale King similarly denies reason and heart to the vessels; he rather have strong, skillful knights without the persons behind the mask. Both sins are unforgiveable. The Worm occurs more hatred for HE should have known what he did was wrong. Yet the Higher Being of the Mind only uses his intellegnce to think up of excuses to cover up his crimes even from himself. You can only pray you have stopped performing the same sins. 

_**“Pleassssssse can we beat him up right now?”**_ Little Knight asks, pulling out the googly eyes. 

_“Hmm… Can we do a boss battle in 5 minutes? When we have never fought the Worm before?”_ You ask right back.  
Little Knight shoulders sack. **_“Not without getting blasted to shade. In the first 30 seconds.”_** He pouts. You both been through that drill with Grimm, Grey Prince Zote, and Radiance. 

_“I would not say within the first 30 seconds, but close enough. I do not think we have do-overs.”_ You correct him. Why is it so hard to encourage children, yet remind them of reality?

_**“We are not going to practice-fight with him as we did Absolute Radiance. We practiced for 45 whole minutes non-stop and still did get not any closer to beating her.”**_ Little Knight declares, rubbing in your mistake for that adventure.

_“Only because I did not hit the right level for practice! But I do agree. If the battle with the goddess of absolute salt is anything to go by, the battle with the Worm will be quite difficult.”_

A short pause holds between you two, ending when the Knight speaks. **_“I still want to beat him.”_**

_“We can always insult the Worm without him knowing…”_ You suggest. 

If expressions could appear on a vessel’s mask, the Knight would be devilishly grinning. How lucky for you both are that Wyrm and Worm are homonyms! Besides, one has to abuse the ability of speaking-only-in-minds sometime, right? 

So begins an adorable little song. ** _“Worm, worm worm, worm. Worm. Worm. Worm worm worm worm Worm worm, wormwormwormwormwormworm…”_**

As Little Knight sings, you pull out a scroll. Not that you need to look at the words, rather feel the need to look official. “ _Oh what a great being you are o worm. What marvelous sight you have O great worm. What a large mind you have, what wise thoughts it thinks. How perfect is your strength, your might, your everything O worm.”_ Rolling up the scroll, you smile widely at the Wyrm, unsuspecting that he had just been roasted alive.

_**“SIBLING. STOP. PLEASE.”**_

A new voice breaks through Little Knight’s song. The words sound as if the speaker has not spoken in a long, long time. The void cannot prevent the speaker from wielding their power. 

Little Knight turns instantly to the speaker, shocked and so joyful at the same time. The Pure Vessel has gone out of its way to act, even if to stop an annoying song. To be honest, who else was going to stop your little vessel? You most certainly were not going to be that person. 

The Pure Vessel stands up straight and stiff, their whole body rigid. It is like a suit of armor propped up in full glory. Dust covers their white, glimming fame like a second cloak. Their statue is so high, Little Knight’s own body screams ‘baby’. Yet a louder scream cuts clear to your heart. 

Horror like a prowling tiger creeps into your soul. You dimly remember the shock in movies when stone statues spring to life ready to fight. This horror you feel now is opposite from the memory, but so much worse. It is seeing a person still as a statue, colder than metal. If the Hollow Knight makes any movements, they are mechanical and broken. You want to scream to the Heavens for this injustice. For the Hollow Knight is meant to be alive, fluid, caring, heart lustrous by doing great things! Not a stiff, dead statue!

Little Knight, meanwhile, just jumps for joy. “Sibling, sibling, sibling!!!” His Pure Nail is sweathed upon the tiny vessel’s back, fighting is for a different time. **_“Sibling is here! Sibling is okay!”_** As Little Knight bounces, his arms outstretched for a big sibling tiki-back-ride. The Pure Vessel merely stands there, as if ‘it’ was not even there. 

**_“Sibling come. Sibling come with us.”_** Little Knight says, finally pulling himself together. **_“We get Sibling out. Far, far away from hurt. Sibling be free and happy and safe!”_** The tiny vessel motions to the big vessel, plan forming in his mind. You know for a fact the plan is just “Get the Hollow Knight safely to Dirtmouth.” If there is any backup plan, it is “Find Daddy Mato. He always makes things better.” 

The Pure Vessel simply stands there, unresponsive. 

**_“Please? Please Sibling? Petty please with berries on top get Sibling out?”_** Little Knight begs, refusing to abandon his quest. 

**“NO.”**

_**“But Sibling will get hurt very bad. Very, very, VERY bad!”**_ Little Knight shakes his mask, trying to get the awful image of the infected Hollow Knight out of his head. You don’t need to be bonded to know that. 

**“NO. SIBLING GO.”**

**_“But, but… You will hurt so much!”_** cries Little Knight, void tears almost spilling.

**“DUTY HOLDS. SIBLING GO. SIBLING HIDE.”**

**_“But, but…”_** Little Knight whimpers. 

You at last step in. Nothing you can do here will change that awful event. _“Little Knight.”_ You pull the tiny vessel out of his woes and into your light. Your words sweep love and warmth into his being just as your aura surrounds him. _“I am so sorry. But you cannot save someone who does not want to be saved. All our effects will be for nought.”_

Trembling, Little Knight makes up his mind. Or rather commits to a decision already long made. Straightening up, he brushes away the tears. The Knight unsheathes his nail from his back. Though he does not rise the nail in challenge. Instead he brings it up for a salute, forming a slolum promise in a manner every knight and king realizes. _**“I will save you Sibling. No matter how long it takes, no matter what great trials I must face, I will save YOU.”**_ After the Knight finishes his vow, he blows a raspberry at the Pale Worm.

A deep, female voice chuckles at Little Knight’s childish insult. 

Turning towards the sound, you find three figures standing together. _“The Dreamers?!”_ You cry. _“They’re not dreaming!!”_ Your heart beats in excitement as shock ebbs away.

Admist the settling dust, all three Dreamers retain their dignity and vigor. You almost don’t recognize them, as they look nothing from their limp, slumbering forms you were forced to slay. Their bodies ooze strength and wisdom, their eyes keen with speculation and weariness. 

Lurien the Watcher has the most steady gaze, seeming to pierce through the veil. He still wears blue, though not the grown you saw last. He dorns a blue cloak, rich in embroidery and design. Though compared to aristocrats in the City of Tears, Lurien appears quite modest in his choice of fashion. Speaking of those nobles, Lurien is certainly the tallest in the city, though the shortest among the Dreamers. You chuckle at his supposed annoyance.

Lurien holds under his palm an umbrella, earning another chuckle from you. However, you pause when you remember how the City of Tears is always raining. It does make sense Lurien would carry an umbrella around since the raining city is his beloved home. The umbrella appears to be renforced in both cloth and ribs. The umbrella’s tip garners the most attention. It shines the same gleam as Little Knight’s Pure Nail, which is a very hard gleam to find. 

Lurien’s umbrella is not the strangest thing to find in Hallownest. That title belongs to Lady Monomon, the Jellyfish Teacher of the Archives. Yet you accept the timeless Teacher anyway.

Time in stasis did nothing to diminish Lady Monomon’s beauty. Though now, in the past, you can witness her fully alive, no longer bound by the tank. Her tenecules float as if gravity does not matter. Luminious with her own, dim light, she can always find her way to her work. 

Speaking of her work, it seems the Knight is her latest project. Her sight is powered by sheer curiosity, the need to find out everything. Monomon has already pulled out a notebook and quill, writing anything and everything of interest. Yet her grey veil and green dress retain their refinement despite how the warer is bubbling with excitement. 

Herrah the Beast, however, betrays a different reason for her glare. Her six eyes narrow in upon Little Knight, saying without words “Are you even worth my time in killing you?” You gulp as you observe her fingering several weapons with her four arms. Quite quickly, you note to not let your Knight go too close to her, for her four legs look ready to pounce. 

Blinking, you study Herrah again. This is a Herrah ready for the attack, not the Herrah lost to the Dream. That Herrah was limp and trapped, all strength lost to eons of disuse. This is Herrah in her prime, the distinguished Queen of Deepnest. Herrah’s limps are trained, her fingers nimble, her mind alert. Her aura blazes with strength and skill, pushing forth terror into the hearts of foe, friend, and food. Woe to the bug who wonders into her realm while she is awake! The trap would spring, and none would escape her thread. 

“What a wonder before us! Just a few more notes… Then I can discuss with Quirrel the possibilities that come with this new development!” Monomon exclaims as she signs off with her quill. She is so much like her assistant Quirrel, inquisitive to the end. “Oh, hello there little one.” Monomon says when she finally looks Little Knight straight in the eye.  
“Did you seriously not notice the child the whole time it has been standing there?” Herrah remarks annoyed at the Teacher. You can not help but wonder the same. 

“Well, someone had to study the whole manifestation of a new Higher Being. Their favorite color, what they sound like, possible motives, powers, these strange dials, etc., etc.” Monomon lists. “Since this little one is not directly related to the Higher Being, obviously one should not study them when in pursuit of the discovery of the Being of Time.” The Jellyfish dismisses the Beast’s input. 

“Well, maybe we should study the person whom the Higher Being thought to bring here? Is that not more pressing since they will be interacting with us?” Herrah parries back at Monomon. 

“Since you have finished your studies Monomon, would you like me to present what I know of the tiny vessel?” offers Lurien, trying to prevent a full-blown war. You know what they say, it takes three to balance each other out.

“Oh yes please!” Monomon accepts as she opens up her notebook again. Flipping past a few empty pages, she draws a straight line to start the header of a new chapter. “Now what to call you? Little…” Monomon looks up again at Little Knight. You know all sorts of possible names running through her head. What she does not know is how many of them are already being used. 

“It is a wanderer, as evidenced by their cloak. Judging by how worn it is, I say this little bug has traveled for a long time. By perceiving the old and new scars upon their body, it is clear their life was not the easiest. However, this fact perplexes me, as the tiny stature and softness of the vessel’s body is that of a hatching.”  
Your jaw drops as Lurien rattles on. _“He’s good.”_ Little Knight’s shoulders drop in shock.

“However, it is clear that vessel has traveled throughout all of Hallownest. For the Vessel has both a charm from the Hive and the Gubberflys, which are at the opposite ends of the kingdom. The Hiveblood charm suggest the vessel is extremely clever while the Gurbsong hints at the vessel’s tremendous kindness.”

Little Knight opens up his cloak in bewildment. How did Lurien know all of that? Did charms really mean that much? 

“You been to the Crystal Peak vessel? What are those black charms you have next to it? Monomon, you will have to draw those charms down.” Lurien points out to Monomon. 

“Furthermore, it seems Herrah, you should be cautious. For the Mark of Pride charm is only given to those the Mantis Lords respect: truly formiable warriors.” Lurien beckens to Herrah.

**_“Yes I am!”_** Little Knight rapidly nods. 

All the Dreamers pause to take note of the Knight’s confirmation. You suppose it is for different reasons though…

“The Pure Nail is a mystery. It can only be made by the rare Pale Ore, crafted into a nail for a heavy price. Either this vessel is very well connected with nobles or stole it-”

**_“I am not a thief!”_** Little Knight waves his arms hastily when the accusation arises. 

Lurien slowly recovers from the interruption. “Or found all the supplies necessary on its travels as well as nailsmith to forge. I would think the third option is the most likely, as we already have proof of its thorough journeys and the nail fits its hand perfectly.” 

**_“Huh, that is actually right.”_** It seems Little Knight was able to communicate this through his body language. 

“I am? What world are you forced to travel in little vessel?” Lurien draws closer to Little Knight. “What world is it that a child is forced to be a knight to survive?” He pulls back with a breath. “I thought, I believed our sacrifice would prevent such a nightmare.” Lurien’s words come in whispers, words from the heart. “What world…” Lurien wonders. You silently pray he never finds out the hard way about the crumbling world Little Knight lives in.

Little Knight, however, interprets these words to mean “Show Me!” 

Reaching into himself, Little Knight pulls out the map of Hallownest. You have yet to travel through the whole land, but the map is still well done. Well done for a tiny vessel to draw it out anyways. Thank goodness Cornifer taught Little Knight how to draw nicely, or at least try too…

 ** _“See. See! Map of world!”_** Little Knight proudly shows off his hard work. It is taped together, seamlessly patched together by Cornifer and Iselda. Throughout the map, names are written in chicken-scratch and different areas are painted in different colors. All three Dreamers take interest in it. 

“Oh my lights…” Lurien gasps.

“Why are the Connecting Crossroads called the Forgotten Crossroads?” Monomon wonders out loud.

“Is that Deepnest?!?!” Herrah roars. 

_**“Yep. But we still working on it. There are big chunks missing. See?”**_ Little Knight points the gaps in the mapwork. **_“Mostly because Deepnest is so scary. Everything wants to eat me!”_** Little Knight shivers.

Herrah gives a glare which says “You are on my kill list now.” Pointing one of her needles at the map, she speaks with her voice, “You were brave enough to enter my realm, come into my village, and draw a map of it?” Every word was a dagger, sharp and forceful. 

_**“Ah han!”**_ Little Knight nods. 

“Gutsy.” Herrah decides, returning her needle towards her chest. 

_**“Hey, we can stop the Infection right here and now by telling them about the Dreamnail! We could even try and battle Angry Moth right now!”**_ Little Knight cries as a lightbulb goes on in his mask. _**“I can write words you spell out for me!”**_

_“And we finally get to know WHO the Dreamers are as we help them! No more second guessing about their personalities. We can read and understand Monomon’s thoughts in the Archives. We can hear Herrah’s nighttime melody for putting Hornet to sleep. And we can finally find out if Lurien is a painter or not!”_ You exclaim, excited for this unexpected opportunity.

 ** _“Can we take baby pictures of Hornet?”_** Little Knight asks you. _**“And take them back and show them to Big Sister Hornet and And how I’m the taller one?”**_ Oh little brothers… How quickly they can change from cute to bother…

“Hey! I am only giving you five minutes outside of my beam. Remember that as you make your choice!” The Being of Time calls. How strange it must be to the bugs beside the table leg-stump. They heard him talking to no one, no one they can hear. 

Seconds slip by as you sigh. _“He is right. By the time we get to the Radiance, if we can find her, our time will be up. Besides,”_ you continue as you look back up at the Dreamers. _“It would take a lifetime to truly KNOW the Dreamers.”_

Little Knight slumps as he folds away the map.

“What is wrong little one?” Monomon asks him directly. 

They stare into each others’ eyes, not blinking in intense study. Jelly Mom at long last studies Little Knight’s inner soul, hidden away by void. 

Rushing, Little Knight dives into his inventory. Keys, pictures, a tram pass, and godtuner fall out as he searches for the item he wants. Concluding his search, the Knight pulls out the Hunter’s Journal. He flips to a page which leaves the Dreamers very concerned. You don’t blame them as a very well-done painting of the Radiance scares you too.

Little Knight holds the Hunter’s Journal in one hand as he reaches and finds the Dreamnail. He takes a slash through the air, carefully showing the beautiful tool. After the slash, he points the tip of the nail at the Radiance’s throat. 

“That tool was crafted by the Moths…” Lurien supplies. “Could it help us find the source of the Infection?” 

“And kill it?” Herrah is quick to add. 

_“Um… Little Knight? What are you doing?”_ You ask, perplexed. 

Little Knight tries to reach for Monomon’s veil, only to pull back. After hurried looks, he sets down the picture of the Radiance on one part of the stump and the Dreamnail opposite. Taking his own cloak, the Knight holds it in-between the two items. Using the Dreamnail, he cuts an opening in his own cloak, then puts his tiny hand through the tear to face the Radiance. Waiting a few seconds, Little Knight punches the Radiance in the face. _**“Dead.”**_ Is all he says as the Journal falls over. 

_**“Are you saying there is a way to defeat the Radiance? Not just sealing her away?”**_ Monomon asks, trying to confirm her thought process. 

_**“Yes, yes, yes.”**_ Little Knight nods slowly.  
“Will it work?” She speaks the question all three Dreamers were wondering.

 _ **“Yes.”**_ Comes the solid answer. 

“Is there anything else you can tell us, little one?” Monomon inquires.

Little Knight tilts his mask to the side, his eyes cast down upon the dusty floor. 

There, there. You already have given us so much. You revealed a way to stop the Infection, one which might just work.” The jellyfish encourages your ward. He looks up, but his body is still dejected. His void-filled eyes convey a simple message. “Is it enough?”

"You have shown us where to look. A better place to look.” Lurien speaks. “A direction to move forward towards. As well as resolve to avoid a tragedy, not mattering if the cause of sorrow is postponed or instant."

“Even the smallest spark of hope illuminates the darkest of cravens.” Herrah cheers the vessel. “And you have given us a bright blaze of hope, more than what was ever asked of you. Thank you for this gift.” 

The gloom chased away, Little Knight straightens with pride. Pride he could do something. Even if it was through rule-bending. He cheerfully picks up all the items that he scattered. He pauses at the godtuner found at the Royal Waterways. Looking up at Lurien, Little Knight points back and forth at the godtuner to the Watcher. 

“Is it important?” Lurien inquires.

Little Knight just shrugs at him. 

“A feeling then?” 

**_“Yeah.”_** Little Knight nods as he places away the last of the items. 

“Good luck on your quest Knight.” Lurien bows to the vessel. 

“Don’t let us hold you back little one.” Monomon urges.  
Herrah whispers to your ward. “By the way, the idiot over there totally deserved that raspberry, child.” 

Feeling grander than grand, Little Knight turns to the other choices. His heart can rest easy with the Dreamers. Now it is time to see what else time could bring you both. 

You did not see it first, rather you smelt it. A fraction of smell sneaks into your nose, reeking and revolting. You are grateful for the fraction of a fraction, cause that means you enjoy the one who reeks this foul smell. 

_**“Ogrim!”**_ Little Knight cries as he hears the Dung Beetle’s laughter. The tiny vessel cannot smell, only the senses of sight, sound, taste, and touch are open to him. This is perfectly fine in the presence of Ogrim, an old friend in a new time. 

The Defender shines his strength and cheer in his white armor. No matter what color his armor is, white or red, seeing the armor barer always brings joy to your spirits. He oozes hope and honor just by his laugh. It delights you both that you can see Orgim as one of the Five Great Knights. 

Speaking of them, it seems all five of the Great Knights were called to this meeting. There is great Hegemol and the willowy Isma. Attentive Dryya and … is that Ze’mer? Holy cow, that is Ze’mer. The foreigner to Hallownest is upright and fresh. Nothing like the shattered, worn figure you found at the Grey Manor. Hopefully now you can stop calling the Great Knight “Broom.”

“Well, well! Look you who turns our way. You must be quite strong if you had made it this far. Oh I wonder, are you strong enough to stand amongst us?” Orgim calls out to his knightly friends as well as Little Knight.

The tiny vessel draws and shows off his nail, eager for the chance to prove himself. As you watch them all, sorrow cannot help but creep up your heart. All his life, Little Knight sweat and bled to show how he was strong. How useful he could be if given the chance. Oh, how he longed for someone to acknowledge him and his potential! Just master this move, just find this spell, just complete this quest, maybe then…

But no one was there to acknowledge him. At least, not the person he so desperately wanted, even when that same person was forgotten. All those who could were lost to time, dream, or the Infection. 

Yet Ogrim breaks through the empty vacuum every time. He appreciates and understands Little Knight, his heart, skills, strength, and mind. Even now, he seems to comprehend who Little Knight is, though he has not battled him here just yet. 

Orgim is so strange in the ruins of Hallownest. He hands out sunshine like candy, yet you never feel it is down out of pity. His love comes freely, but it never seems like it is unearned. Orgim’s kindness comes out of his heart, supplying what is lacking. He is Little Knight’s Best Friend and most fervent Supporter.  
You like Orgim the most because he agrees that Little Knight is the best name for your tiny ward. One that acknowledges him for both who and what he is. Though, it is the best name only according to you. Hornet has other ideas. (She always does…) 

Orgim snaps you out of your musings. “Why don’t you come and train with us? Then all of us can see your great skill and valor.” Dryya, however, seems quite grumpy.

 _ **“Yes! Yes! Yes!”**_ Little Knight yells while bouncing. It was his dream after all, to train with all the Great Knights and prove his worthiness. 

_“Manners.”_ You remind him.

Abruptly, he stops. Little Knight cups his tiny hands together, nail pointing away from him. _**?“Please????”**_ he says as he tilts his mask. If only the Five Great Knights could see his googy eyes. All five will fall for his cuteness.

“How do you even plan on doing that fairly?” Dryya asks Orgim. “Are you going to time it one minute for each of us or do you plan on having us all battle the vessel at once?” You could tell from Dryya’s tone that she was only saying that to get Orgim to rethink his idea.

“How about we just get the Little One to the infirmary?” Isma speaks up. “If they take anymore blows, they are going to be more than knocked over…” 

_“What?”_ You think. Little Knight still has two masks… Oh. Ops. 

“Yes! Hegmeol, you will carry Le’mer to the infirmary while Isma finds some Soul for Le’mer to feed on. Then Che will tell as many stories as possible about the importance of carefulness.” Ze’mer agrees with Isma. 

Oh Ze’mer. You are not ready for the long, frustrating story of being careful during the Delicate Flower Quest. That story is still not over at our point in time. 

“Ze’mer, it will not matter how careful you are when your shell is so soft that even a Crawlid can absent-mindedly kill you.” Dryya looks at Ze’mer. It is not hostile, more gentle. At least as gentle as Dryya can get. 

Little Knight bangs and swings his nail. When Dryya turns around to peek, he points it straight at her. Then, he lowers it into a challenging position. A challenge to a worthy opponent. 

“The Mute does speak.” Dryya voices, surprised at the Knight’s directness. 

However, before Little Knight and the others can agree on a plan, Hegmeol speaks. Despite its softness, all the knights hush instantly at the breath of Hegmeol’s voice. “Before you leap into combat, you must first observe the whole battlefield young one.” 

A few seconds go by, you both are stunned at Hegmeol's wisdom. Though your minds still can work to understand the meaning of his words. ** _“Dan’it!"_** Little Knight utters, exasperated. He swipes his nail twice, his body swings thrice. You know how much Little Knight wants to choose this adventure. But Hegmeol is right.

_“Don’t worry Little Knight. We are almost done. See, we are almost back where we started! We can come back to the Knights after we finish. Got it?”_ You ask him.

Little Knight pouts, but still nods his head. _**“Got it.”**_ He waves at the Five Great Knights before he leaves, delaying his short departure. Finally, he tears away to complete the circle. Only to instantly freeze mid-turn, his nail tumbling to the floor. 

_“Com' on Little Knight. Let’s hurry and see so…”_ You stummer, stunned at the sight.

You really can’t blame Little Knight for freezing up. Not when yourself is trapped in feelings of shock, fear, and awe. For the last being in the room is none other than the White Lady. 

The White Lady glows with her own light. The Radiance blazed, first as a new dawn, then as the raging sun. The Pale King shines, so bright it hurts your eyes. You cannot even see him sometimes. But the White Lady is different. She is like a moonbeam, gentle yet luminating. She glows like a full moon, her light unhindered by waning. She glowed when you both found her in the Queen’s Gardens, but the bonds of guilt dimmed her light.

The White Lady is not physically bound by guilt now. Not yet. Instead guilt makes her cold and still. Though you are not certain whether guilt is making her silent, or is it shock which keeps her hands by her mouth? 

Little Knight steps forward, as close as he could get to the edge. Should it fancy him, Little Knight could touch her long, blue dress. Wait? Is he actually trying to do that? His tiny hands are no longer at his side, rather the elbows are bending them up. 

The White Lady’s arms are shaking. You did not notice it before, the tremble was so slight. Now the Queen of Hallownest cannot hide it. Her lip quivers, but she still does not speak or move out of her own free will. 

“My Root, are you well?” The Worm speaks. Oh, right. You are back at his end of the stump. “My Root, I know something is wrong. Please tell me what is wrong.” The Pale Monarch sounds genuinely worried, even dropping the royal We. 

“How does he know?” You wonder. Sifting between the two, you discover a possible cause. The Kingsoul charm is present in this room, broken in half. The charm was forged by the union of two Higher Beings. If they could feel each other’s love through the charm, could they also feel each other’s pain? Does that mean they could feel the united charm of the Void Heart here? The charm which is the fruit of their union? Never mind because poor Little Knight is about to cry!

Little Knight is trembling, tears threating to fall. His tiny hands are no longer at his middle, rather below his chin, held in a prayer. Upon his lips, word tries to escape despite never once being uttered. A name that never had real meaning or use. 

The White Lady draws closer to your ward. She lessens her hands from her mouth, though they are not lowered far. Her blue eyes study Little Knight, desperately searching. Is it for a sign, recongization, or some other hidden meaning? 

Little Knight gains courage to look up in the Higher Being’s blue eyes. Steeling himself from tears, he raises his hands slightly past his shoulders. It seems this was the opening the White Lady was looking for. Suddenly, she scoops Little Knight from the stump-leg and into her arms. The White Lady clutches her child close to her, close enough for kisses. Little Knight places one hand upon her check, the other is clasping her sheave for dear life. He at last discovers the word he was trying to say. _**“Mama?”**_

The Pale Worm does not even receive a chance to interrupt. For at that moment, a river broke through the dam. The Worm doubles over as if gravity increased ten-fold upon him and him alone. Perhaps a waterfall is truly pounding on him, for a waterfall of tears flows from his beloved’s heart. 

Mother and child weep and wail a waterfall. Weeping at reunion and wailing for what took so long. A roaring waterfall of emotions buried and ignored for years uncounted is released in one cuddle. The Mother sheds blue tears, indifferent only to those around watching them both. Little Knight rubs black, void tears into her dress. She won’t mind the stains. She will wake up the next morning and still not mind that her blue dress is ruined.

Their voices mingle together for all those who can hear. “My Baby, my precious, precious Baby.” The queenly Mother cries as she embraces her child. **_“Mama! Mama! I missed you so much! I been so alone! Okay, not completely alone, but no one like me!”_** Little Knight tells her. She nods as if she could understand him. 

The White Lady sings a wonderful melody as the two cuddle together. You know this song, heard it a near hundred times before. It is the Shade Song, the off-key melody from a music box. Happily, every note is now correct and in a major scale. The lullaby brings peace neither the White Lady nor Little Knight could find in or out the Palace. Time simultaneously became eons and seconds within five minutes.

You don’t know how much time you have left. However, the decision was made and you will happily stand by it. _“Oh Little Knight, you have made the best choice. We can insult the Worm whenever we want. No matter how long the attempt, we will always find a way to save Hollow. In our time, we can learn about the Dreamers from those closest to them. We can see Herrah’s self-sacrifice and love in Hornet, Monomon’s careful planning and curious nature in Quirrel, and Lurien’s devotion and chivalry in his butler and the Watcher Knights. No matter what, we will fulfill that dream of training with the Great Knights, even if it is with just two, true knights and one fake. But we will never, ever have time for Mama cuddles.”_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> P.S.  
> Sorry if there are any mistakes in this chapter. My computer had some funny ideas that forced me to correct it five times before posting. I tried to catch and correct them all, but I am still learning how to post on this site.

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading this!  
> Please remember an artist's soul sings for joy with comments.  
> Will you make mine sing?


End file.
